Before and after one year later!

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

It has been one year since I posted our living room project. We took all of the advice we received and tried to incorporate as much as we could. We tore out the carpet and added hardwood floors, put in a new fireplace and added stone and a rustic mantle, replaced the sliders with French doors, painted the walls with an earthy green color, found an area rug and sectional and a table and chairs for the dining area.

We are now ready for some more of your input. We need help with ideas for art on the walls, accessories, and anything else you see that would bring the space together. This space is open to the kitchen, which we also completely gutted and remodeled. Please help us put the finishing touches on it!

Here are some pictures. One of the before and three after.

Featured Answer

ktk1961

10 years ago

Very nicely done. Congratulations! I think your room would look much more "finished" if you added draperies to the French doors. Hung as high as you can, and pulled back off of the doors on both sides so you don't diminish the view. Here's a mock-up showing how drapes would really add to your current plan. I would also add some accessories to the mantle and/or the raised hearth, tying the colors into the draperies. Just my two cents ...

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Comments (261)

ciweber
10 years ago
Not sure if this already was on here, but what color and brand of paint is on the wall?
Linda Anthony
10 years ago
put the bowl on one end of the table, and the three candle holders on the other end - grouped, not lined up
kmedl thanked Linda Anthony
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Barbie
10 years ago
I like the copper pot and flowers. Maybe move that to the left of the fireplace and the candlesticks on the right.
kmedl thanked Barbie
ciweber
10 years ago
Just found the wall color earlier in the thread!
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
Would the candlesticks look better if I painted them a different color? Not sure about yellow/gold, but a different red or a black?

I do like the copper pot and the height of the willows.
Barbie
10 years ago
Now that I am on my larger computer I think the yellow/gold idea I gave was bad advice. haha Seeing your kitchen and room together I think you are right about possibly painting them black, or a very dark gray/charcoal.
kmedl thanked Barbie
indianpatti
10 years ago
What an awesome transformation! Looks beautiful!

Bowl on table looks a lot better than the candles ...
kmedl thanked indianpatti
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
Rugs Done Right - thank you. Selecting the rug first has certainly kept us focused on the colors we were working with.
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Resource Art & Design
10 years ago
I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned the room appears dark. Look at your before picture (flooded with light) vs your "after" photos. Although that is a pretty color on the walls, the furniture and rug is attractive and you have a skylight, the room seems dark unless there are lights on and the flash on your camera lights up the foreground. I'm not sure I'd paint the ceiling darker since it will only swallow more light. I can't seem to get back to your photos while leaving a comment but I think from memory at least one floor lamp at end of sofa near dining table might help.
Maybe bringing in some color will help. Move your attractive but putty-colored ceramic bowl from dining table. Replace it with a red bowl; deep red rustic ceramic would be good and would pull color from your artwork there on the dining wall. Toss the pale "throw" pillows and replace with at least three (2 the same size, 1 different), this time pulling color from your pretty rug. IMO, the mirror concept is good but it's not bringing anything to the party...it's just reflecting dark air. Hang some art there...something with some of your wall color but with quite a bit of creamy white, some red, yellow and any other of your rug colors. Your lamps are quite traditional so perhaps not really contemporary art (color splotches) but rather a loose, brush-stroked version of a landscape or other scene. Your husband sounds like a gem so give him a kiss and send him back out the door for two more plants...one of which is about five ft tall. This is a great time to buy plant pots...they are all on sale so have him bring back three for the plants (in matching colors - size appropriate to the plants, again pulling from the rug for color). Put the two new plants grouped with the short one. I, also like others,like your beams but what would you think of maybe doing a grey wash on them to tie them in more with the stone on the fireplace? Just a thought. Your room is pretty and perfectly acceptable as is but needs a bit of zip to provide some life, just IMO :-)
kmedl thanked Resource Art & Design
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
Resource Art & Design - Thank you for your input. I agree that the pottery bowl on the dining table doesn't really do much for the table, so I'm on the lookout for a piece of pottery that will be more eye-catching. I also agree with your comment on the sofa pillows. I'm having trouble deciding on what to get (partly because I won't pay $100 or more for a pillow) but I am looking. If you run across anything you think would look nice, please send me a link!

Your idea about the beams is interesting, but probably too drastic for us. The beams are the same color as the floors and doors and we like them as they are. I see your point about the gray in the fireplace. Perhaps there are other ways to accomplish the same idea? Bring in some gray somehow? We do have the black from the kitchen island and other black touches in the room. In person you can see a lot of green in the stone but maybe that doesn't show up as much on the computer screen.

I do appreciate the time you took to give us feedback and we do read and consider every comment!
PRO
Veronica Lawrence Interiors
10 years ago
you should be proud of your efforts, great job.
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industrialing
10 years ago
so cozy jellyfishing herre!
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lellogirl
10 years ago
What a wonderful room! The French doors are so striking! Well done!
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amazonfestie
10 years ago
I love the French doors! They make the room pop!
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Jolene
10 years ago
Looks great! We have had our tv above the fire place for 7 years. No sore necks yet. Maybe it balance out the time we spend looking at our tablets and phones. Lol. Love the room!
kmedl thanked Jolene
meagan434
10 years ago
i looked at a house a little over a year ago that look just like the before pictures. where is your house located?
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
We live just outside Asheville, NC. We've owned this house for about 13 years (as a second home) and just started working on it a little more than a year ago.
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi everyone - I thought you might like to see how the antique rocker turned out with the new upholstery. We just love seeing how it has come back to life. I also had the upholstery people make me a little lumbar pillow for the chair on the other side of the buffet.
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
I finally decided on what to put on the table. I found this metal twig base at Pottery Barn and these pumpkins at the farmer's market. That should get me through Thanksgiving :) Maybe for Christmas I can find something to put on the twig!
abbyjean
10 years ago
Truly a special part of your room, like so many other touches you have added. Enjoy!
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abbyjean
10 years ago
That is one piece I have missed at PB......very nice! I know you will think of something to use for the next holiday.
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mefor
10 years ago
That's great kmedl, a whole giant dilemma that I missed!!! You're rocker is lovely, really unique and looks great in the room. I also love the twig platform, perfect for displays of anything year round. Especially living in such a beautiful area, you won't have trouble filing the space. :)
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kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
That PB twig piece was available with ceramic pumpkin tureens, but we didn't want those. Luckily they did sell the twig separately.
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
mforr - I just realized you weren't here for this dilemma! How could that be???? This one was a year in the making. Glad you're on board for all my other dilemmas!!!
mefor
10 years ago
Hahaha, can you believe something was before my time? Incredible!! I'm glad I'm along for the other voyages through your home. How did the guests enjoy their spaces? Big hit? :)
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kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Everyone had a fabulous time. We hosted 3 couples for the weekend. They are the band members (and wives) who my hubby was in a band with over 30 years ago and we've known for about 35 years. They still all get together at least every other year to catch up and play music. They live in the OH and KY area, so this time they came to NC. The couple staying in the guest bedroom said they felt like they were at a resort hotel. Nice compliment, I thought!
mefor
10 years ago
That's a great compliment kmedl, I'm glad they liked it and appreciated how wonderful it looks. You did a great job :)
Sounds like a very good time, what kind of music did they play? Did they ever have a record out? You don't need to tell me who if they did, I don't want to expose identities on houzz. But it seems like a great get together. :)
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PRO
DMH DESIGN
10 years ago
I like the color, and wish I had seen your thread earlier. I liked the mirror over the sideboard with the two lamps, shown earlier. I would correct the valance in the end wall beam detail to be a continuous light on all sides--rope light, concealed on all sides as much as possible. Consider placing an art sconce at mid height in these interior gables--one that back casts light onto the wall only. Great color, nice space. Happy Houzzing.
kmedl thanked DMH DESIGN
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
DMH design - I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with the valance??? If you're referring to the lighting above the wall beams on each side of the room, since those pics were taken we have had all the old florescent tube lights replaced with new lighting that is backlighting. Is that what you mean?
kmedl
Original Author
10 years ago
mforr - they were college buddies who had a band and played rock music - stuff from the Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin, Doors, Creedence, Van Morrison, etc...in other words, the best music ever ha ha They never had anything published but opened for some great bands of that time period. Best of all, they are still great friends.
mefor
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I love the background and I love the music, that's great, you must have had a wonderful time. :)
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RosemaryR
10 years ago
Love the rocker and fabric, the twig on table is perfect with the pumpkins, I just want to move in!
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Linda Anthony
10 years ago
Turned out beautiful job - turned out great. I didn't realize your hall/wall was that long. Just ONE more suggestion, move the buffet and two chairs and center themon that wall. It would give additional balance to the wall. Enjoyed your Guest bedroom make over too.

Gre
kmedl thanked Linda Anthony
gditto
10 years ago
Beautiful! How about adding a sofa table - behind the sofa, of course!
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PRO
All 4 Show, LLC
10 years ago
Nice job!
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Lynnie
10 years ago
The room is beautiful. I would add some bright colors and tie them in with pillows on the couch as well. Art is personal, so as to the exact type, that is up to you. If it makes you feel good, then it is a good thing. That is what I say, and I am an artist. :)
kmedl thanked Lynnie
lololu
10 years ago
I love your new room. I think it looks beautiful!!
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dclostboy
10 years ago
From cold and stark to cozy and comfortable :)
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Teresa Cerna
10 years ago
I love it when people continue to post pictures as they are decorating! Thanks it helps to see what changes can do. I Love it. There are a couple of ideas I had when looking at the room; this is just my idea now. I think the lamp shades would look great if they were red. I have red shades and live the warm look. Last.. The white on the ceiling looks just too white .. All I the other colors are warm but the ceiling is very bright. I love of though!
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PRO
Michael Lee, Inc
10 years ago
I like what you have done here - warm and inviting - nice job
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senab
9 years ago
The wall leading into the hallway A extremely large mirror would look nice. Remove the small mirror above the sideboard and replace with a picture or metal artwork
nancycronk
9 years ago
Beautiful!
DDD Seattle/St Croix Bgkok/FtW/CedarCity
9 years ago
AMAZING!! this is impressive. One thought- focus on light- this beautiful room seems dark in places. Perhaps lightning alone could punch up this beautiful room a bit & can highlight the future art.
PRO
Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc.
9 years ago
What a great difference!
faith452
8 years ago
It gets an.... Oh! Wow!!.... Beautiful!!... Enjoy!!
DDD Seattle/St Croix Bgkok/FtW/CedarCity
8 years ago
What color of whit paint did you use for the trim?
PRO
Michelle Yorke Interior Design LLC
8 years ago
Very nice transformation.
PRO
Talianko Design Group, LLC
8 years ago
So cozy looking. Great job!
PRO
OTM Designs & Remodeling Inc.
last year
Looks great!
PRO
FrameMyMirror
last year
Great job!